OG Tacos has become a staple at the Antioch farmers market on Saturdays garnering attention from the San Francisco Chronicle. But the pop-up is also teaming up with Epidemic Ales on Tuesdays and Fridays for a classic beer-taco pairing. OG is known for its quesabirria tacos, and an order of three tacos includes comsomme. There are also non-taco items on the menu, mostly centering around the birria, such as a birria grilled cheese on Texas toast, if that’s more your speed.

Stroll past the Afghan grocery store, the Mexican restaurants, and hair salons, and in the back of a Concord strip mall, you’ll find what you came for: the longtime local favorite tortilleria/taqueria that’s especially beloved for its melt-in-your-mouth carnitas. The tacos dorados here are also a solid pick with their thin, yet sturdy, freshly fried tortillas jam-packed with ground beef, potatoes, lettuce, diced tomatoes, cotija cheese, and sluiced in fresh crema.

As one of those places where everything is good, the go-to move here is to order the “red” tacos, a newer addition to this Richmond staple. Walk up to the window to place your order and choose from adobada freshly shaved from the trompo, grilled carne asada, succulent shrimp, or any other filling, and they’ll put it inside a crispy, handmade corn tortilla with mozzarella cheese, and finish it off with onions and cilantro. If you’re in a hurry, be sure to order online, as it’s common to wait a half hour for your food.

Sure, La Venganza has spread its wings to San Francisco with a new outpost in Market Street’s Saluhall, but the vegan taco magic is alive and well at the East Bay shop. Go for the mushroom carnitas or al pastor tacos, if you’re looking for a place to start.

Designated as a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in 2021, Tacos Oscar continues to live up to the hype. The inventive, rotating menu of tacos made with handmade tortillas draw long lines and for good reason. If you see them, snag a tomatillo-braised pork shoulder or a renowned fried egg taco drizzled in “magic chile oil,” but don’t sleep on the vegan options either, especially the peanut-y charred broccoli or the flavor-packed mushroom mole coloradito tacos.

The expert move with Tacos Mi Rancho, a local favorite with a 20-year history in Oakland, is to grab a few barbacoa tacos and then post up on the grass or on a nearby bench at Lake Merritt. What’s even better? The truck is open from 9:30 a.m. until midnight daily, so you can get your taco fix morning, noon, or night.

One of the classics in Fruitvale, there’s really no wrong order at Tacos Sinaloa. All of the proteins are well-composed and flavorful, but it’s hard not to fall totally in love with the carnitas and cabeza tacos.

Although Dominic Prado temporarily closed his permanent location due to construction, he’s taking his much-raved-about and impeccably executed street-style tacos with Northern Mexico flair on the road. Follow Prado on Instagram to find his latest whereabouts and to check out the week’s specials. Tacos El Ultimo

Baile is known for its grilled carne asada, adobada, beautifully seasoned pollo asado, smoked brisket barbacoa, and more. Doctor it up any way you’d like at the salsa bar, and be sure to get your tacos on freshly handmade tortillas.

The best-named taqueria in the East Bay also serves some of the most varied and tasty tacos in the already taco-notable Fruitvale district of Oakland. Don’t be weirded out by the strange ordering system; instead, just tell the cashier how many tacos you want and, at the next window, pick your fillings. Standouts here in addition to the typical carne asada and al pastor orders are the tripas, which aren’t overly chewy.

Fans flock to this semi-hidden truck next to Aloha Club for the Baja-style fried fish tacos topped with slaw and spicy mayo — an order that’s just as popular as the Instagram-worthy quesabirria, which is packed with griddled cheese and juicy birria de res. Be sure to fork up a little extra for the consommé, or order the cult-favorite birria ramen.

Tucked in the backyard of the owners’ home, this nearly decade-old taqueria feels like a secret, locals-only clubhouse serving tacos that are hard to find elsewhere in the Bay Area. Known for tacos el vapor — a style that sees meat simmered and steamed to tender, flavorful perfection — this is the destination for juicy proteins that are otherwise difficult to come by including sesos (brains), labio (lips), and chachete (cheek). The shop is only open Friday through Sunday, so be sure to arrive on the earlier side to avoid the rush.

As one of the first to serve Tijuana-style tacos in the Bay Area, Tacos Mi Reynita is one of the hottest pop-ups in Oakland. True to the border town’s style, these tacos will come “standard” with your choice of meat, onions, cilantro, and a dollop of guacamole. (You get to pick from eight different salsas carefully crafted by the founder herself.) The lines can be long — as is the case with any popular joint — but once you order, your food will come out quickly.

Even on cold, windy nights, you can find a line outside of La Parilla Loca, one of the Oakland spots serving Tijuana-style, al carbon tacos. While the chorizo and al pastor are certainly good bets, be sure to try the carne asada, which is perfectly salted, seasoned, and crisp.